American Association of Feline Practitioners

Does My Cat Have a Drinking Problem? Hydration and Health in Feline Medicine

Does My Cat Have a Drinking Problem? Hydration and Health in Feline Medicine

NOW AVAILABLE ON-DEMAND

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Cats evolved in the fertile crescent, in a desert environment. They are well suited to handling water efficiently, but only under healthy natural circumstances. When they are ill, when they age, or when they are not eating a diet they have hunted, they are frequently at risk for dehydration. A common presentation of dehydration is constipation, but the …

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Claw Counseling: Living in Harmony with Clawed Cats

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North American attitudes toward the procedure of declawing are shifting rapidly. As we move away from this procedure, it is increasingly important for veterinary teams to focus on educating clients about normal scratching behaviors in cats. Claw Counseling teaches clients how to live in harmony with their clawed cat. This presentation will review the natural scratching behavior of domestic cats with guidance on how to target this behavior to desirable surfaces. It will describe the goals behind Claw Counseling, providing the necessary information for …

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List of Previously Supported Research

2011: Cat Health Network
The Cat Health Network (CHN) is a collaborative effort by the American Association of Feline Practitioners, (AAFP) American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF), Morris Animal Foundation (MAF), and Winn Feline Foundation (WFF). The goal of the CHN is to improve feline health and welfare by funding focused feline health studies. The CHN is the first step in developing a species-specific collaborative relationship for research.

2010: Nutrient-Gene Interactions in Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Lisa M. Freeman, DVM
Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

2009: Evaluation of an Incretic Mimetic (Exenatide) as an Effective …

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2014 Conference Educational Program

Come to Indianapolis and join colleagues from around the world as you increase your feline knowledge by attending presentations lead by experts in their fields. The AAFP is proud to offer an assortment of tracks to meet the individualized needs of attendees in the various stages of their professional development. This conference will join together veterinary healthcare professionals who are dedicated to increasing their feline knowledge and who are passionate about elevating the standard of care for cats.

Online registration for the 2014 AAFP Conference is now closed . You can register for the conference onsite …

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Cat Friendly Practices® in the News

The AAFP’s Cat Friendly Practice® program (CFP) is available to practices in North and South America, as well as the Caribbean. The ISFM’s Cat Friendly Clinic program (CFC) is available in all other locations. …

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AAFP Webinars

The AAFP now offers a Webinar Portal that includes a variety of feline continuing education (CE) throughout the year. Check out the list below to view all the webinars. Click the title of the webinar to view more information.…

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American Association of Feline Practitioners

Confinement of Owned Indoor Cats Position Statement

2007 Confinement of Owned Indoor Cats

Veterinarians are encouraged to educate clients and the public concerning the dangers associated with allowing cat’s free-roam access to the outdoors.

Free-roaming cats may be exposed to injury, suffering, and death from:

• Vehicles
• Attacks from other animals
• Human cruelty
• Poisons
• Traps

Additionally, these cats have an increased potential to be exposed to feline-specific and zoonotic diseases.

Lastly, adherence to this policy also reduces predation of native wildlife populations, a goal and policy of the AVMA and the AAFP.

Veterinarians are also encouraged …

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Feline Rabies

Rabies is a viral disease that causes infection of the peripheral and central and nervous systems. The virus is transmissible between many species including domesticated and wild mammals, along with humans. It is therefore considered a zoonosis. More than 55,000 people die annually worldwide from the disease each year according to the World Health Organization (WHO), though these numbers are likely under-representative. The virus is generally carried by wildlife reservoirs that vary based on the geographic region and can include animals such as skunks, bats, raccoons, foxes, along with feral dogs and cats.

How is rabies contracted?

The …

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Decision Making

Whenever possible, a Quality of Life (QOL) discussion should take place long before the moment in which a conclusion must be reached on its presence or absence.

• Nurture the relationship with the caregiver. During the development of a relationship between the caregiver and veterinarian, the characteristics of a good feline life can be conveyed and discussed.
• This information can be discussed at a time prior to making immediate decisions or before an emotional crisis.
• Positive QOL discussion can be made at a time of clear thinking and planning.

Differences in Experience of Life

• The differences between human and

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2020 Welfare of Shelter Cats

The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) advocates for the wellbeing/welfare of shelter-housed cats based on the following Five Freedoms:

1. Freedom from hunger and thirst
2. Freedom from pain, illness, and disease
3. Freedom from discomfort
4. Freedom from fear and distress
5. Freedom to perform species-specific behaviors

The AAFP recommends these educational resources for veterinary professionals, team members, and clients/caregivers:

This position statement has been updated from: 2009 Welfare of Shelter Cats…

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